Traction controller

ABSTRACT

In a traction control device for a vehicle which is equipped with a multi-cylinder engine, fuel supply is cut for a specific cylinder when a slip factor of the drive wheels exceeds a predetermined threshold value. The device comprises a sensor for detecting the engine load, and when the engine load becomes larger than a predetermined load, the threshold value is increased. As a result, the engine operation region wherein fuel cut is performed is narrowed under the high engine load and overheating of the catalytic converter due to fuel cut under the high engine load is thereby prevented.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Automobile traction control systems function to prevent the vehicle tires from rotating without gripping the road due to excessive drive force when the vehicle is traveling or accelerating on a slippery road surface, such as a road covered with ice, snow or gravel. This may be achieved by cutting fuel supply to the engine so as to decrease the drive force.

A fuel cut controller for this purpose is described for example in Tokkai Hei 4-295146 published in 1992 and 1-227830 published in 1991 by the Japanese Patent Office.

In this controller, the rotation speeds of the drive wheels and driven wheels are detected, and a slip factor between the drive wheels and road surface is computed from the difference between the two speeds. When the slip factor is greater than a set value, the fuel supply to a predetermined cylinder of the engine is cut based on the slip factor. As a result, when the vehicle starts to slip due to excessive drive force, the drive force of the drive wheels is rapidly decreased so as to suppress the slip.

However, when the fuel supply to some of the engine cylinder is cut, the air supplied to cylinders to which fuel supply has stopped, and exhaust including unburned fuel from cylinders to which fuel supply has not stopped, flow into the catalytic converter in the exhaust system. Depending on the engine running conditions, unburned fuel in the converter may react with the air, thereby causing the catalyst temperature to rise above the tolerance level and leading to catalyst deterioration.

In the aforesaid controller, the period during which fuel cut is performed is limited, and fuel cut is prohibited for a certain period after a preceding fuel cut has been made, so that the catalyst temperature does not rise above a certain level.

According to this controller, however, fuel cut is subsequently prohibited for a predetermined period when fuel cut has continued for a prescribed time, and fuel supply is then restarted to all cylinders even when the slip factor of the drive wheels is large. Hence, although temperature rise of the catalytic converter is prevented, the engine drive force cannot be adequately suppressed, and the effect of preventing the drive wheels from slipping remains limited.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of this invention to enhance the effect of preventing drive wheels from slipping by fuel cut while controlling a temperature rise of a catalystic converter.

It is a further object of this invention to prevent the slip factor of the drive wheels from hunting due to a fuel cut.

In order to achieve the above objects, this invention provides a traction control device for cutting the fuel supply to a cylinder of a multi-cylinder engine of a vehicle so as to reduce a slip of a drive wheel of the vehicle.

The device comprises a sensor for detecting a slip factor of the drive wheel, a sensor for detecting an engine load, and a microprocessor.

The microprocessor is programmed to determine whether or not the slip factor exceeds a preset threshold value, cut fuel supply to the cylinder when the slip factor exceeds the threshold value, determine whether or not the engine load is greater than a predetermined load, and increase the threshold value when the engine load is greater than the predetermined load.

It is preferable that the microprocessor is further programmed to measure a continuation time for which the slip factor exceeds the threshold value, and increase the threshold value to a larger value the longer the continuation time.

According to another aspect of this invention, the device comprises a sensor for detecting a slip factor of the drive wheel, a sensor for detecting an engine rotation speed, and a microprocessor.

The microprocessor is programmed to determine whether or not the slip factor exceeds a preset threshold value, cut fuel supply to the cylinder when the slip factor exceeds a threshold value, determine whether or not the engine rotation speed is greater than a predetermined speed, and increase the threshold value when the engine rotation speed is greater than the predetermined speed.

It is preferable that the microprocessor is further programmed to measure a continuation time for which the slip factor exceeds the threshold value, and increase the threshold value to a larger value the longer the continuation time.

It is further preferable that the device further comprises a sensor for detecting an engine load, and the microprocessor is further programmed to increase the threshold value to a larger value only when the rotation speed is greater than the predetermined speed, and the load is greater than the predetermined load.

The details as well as other features and advantages of this invention are set forth in the remainder of the specification and are shown in the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is schematic diagram of a traction controller according to this invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram describing the function of a control unit according to this invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart describing a torque-down request amount determining process performed by the control unit.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are flowcharts describing a fuel cut control process performed by the control unit.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the contents of a map of a time ratio FCRATE stored in the control unit.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are timing charts comparing a fuel cut according to this invention with that of a prior art controller.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the contents of a map of threshold values stored in the control unit.

FIG. 8 is a graph showing a relation between the slip factor and a forward/backward force acting on a vehicle, according to this invention.

FIG. 9 is a graph showing a relation between the slip factor and a lateral force acting on the vehicle, according to this invention.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart describing a threshold value setting process performed by the control unit.

FIGS. 11A-11C are timing charts showing the variation of drive wheel speed, forward/backward force and the number of cylinders to which fuel supply is stopped, according to the control by the control unit.

FIG. 12 is a flow chart describing a threshold value correcting process performed the control unit.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the contents of a map of correction factor .increment.S stored in the control unit.

FIG. 14 is a diagram describing the threshold value correction according to the control unit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, intake air of an automobile engine 30 is supplied to the engine cylinder via an air cleaner 21, an intake pipe 22, a throttle chamber 23, branches of an intake manifold and intake ports opening to the cylinders. Fuel is injected to each intake port from a fuel injector 24 provided in each cylinder, and is supplied to a combustion chamber in the cylinder as it is mixed with intake air.

The fuel mixture in the combustion chamber is ignited by the electric discharge of a spark plug, and explodes. Exhaust gas is expelled to the outside via an exhaust pipe 25. A catalytic converter 26 is installed midway along the pipe 25. The action of this three-way catalytic converter oxidizes HC and CO, and reduces NOx, in the exhaust.

A throttle valve 30 which opens and closes in response to the operation of an accelerator pedal is provided in the throttle chamber 23. The opening of the throttle valve 30 is detected by a throttle sensor 32, the intake air flowrate is detected by an air flow meter 34, and the rotation speed of the engine 20 is detected by a crank angle sensor 35. The temperature of the cooling water of the engine 20 is detected by a water temperature sensor 36, and the oxygen concentration of the exhaust is detected by an oxygen sensor 37. The catalyst bed temperature of the catalytic converter 26 is detected by a catalyst bed temperature sensor 38.

The output torque of the engine 20 is transmitted to drive wheels 28 via a transmission 27. The rotation speed of the drive wheels 28 of the vehicle is detected by a drive wheel speed sensor 40, and the rotation speed of driven wheels 41 is detected by a driven wheel speed sensor 42. These detected rotation speeds are both averages for the left and right wheels.

Signals from the sensors 32, 34-38, 40 and 42 are input to a control unit 45 comprising a microcomputer.

Based on the input signals, the control unit 45 performs fuel injection control of the fuel injectors 24, and performs traction control of the vehicle.

The control unit 45 comprises a throttle opening detector 61 to which a detection signal is input from the throttle sensor 32, an engine speed detector 62 to which a detection signal is input from the crank angle sensor 35, an intake air volume detector 63 to which a detection signal is input from the air flow meter 34, a basic fuel injection pulse width computing unit 64 which computes a basic fuel injection pulse Tp based on a detected engine speed N and intake air volume Qa, a fuel injection pulse width computting unit 65, and a drive circuit 66 which outputs a fuel injection pulse signal to the injectors 24, as shown in FIG. 2.

Fuel injection control is performed as follows. First, a basic injection amount Tp is computed based on the detected intake air volume Qa and engine speed N by the following relation. ##EQU1##

where K is a constant.

This basic injection amount Tp is corrected by the following equation based on the fooling water temperature Tw, throttle opening TVO and oxygen concentration, and a fuel injection amount Ti is computed.

    Ti=Tp·(1+K.sub.TW +K.sub.AS +K.sub.Al +K.sub.ACC +K.sub.DEC)·K.sub.FC +Ts                         (2)

where: K_(TW) =water temperature increase correction coefficient

K_(AS) =increase correction coefficient during and after start-up

K_(Al) =increase correction coefficient after idle period

K_(ACC) =acceleration correction coefficient

K_(DEC) =deceleration correction coefficient

K_(FC) =fuel cut correction coefficient

Ts=battery voltage correction

The control unit 45 performs fuel injection control by outputting a pulse signal corresponding to the computed fuel injection amount Ti to the fuel injectors 24.

The control unit 45 further comprises a wheel speed detector 51 to which the detection signals from the wheel speed sensors 40, 42 are input, wheel speed ratio computing unit 52 which computes a rotation speed ratio of the driven wheels 41 and drive wheel 28, slip factor computing unit 53 which computes a slip factor of the drive wheels from the rotation speed ratio of the driven wheels 41 and the drive wheels 28, torque-down request amount computing unit 54 which computes a tort-down request amount of the engine 20 according to the slip factor and a torque-down control signal output unit 55 which outputs a torque-down control signal according to a torque-down request amount, as shown in FIG. 2.

Due to the aforesaid construction, the control unit 45 performs a torque-down determination of the vehicle according to the flowchart of FIG. 3.

First, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 3, a torque-down request amount when the drive wheels 28 slip, is computed. The routine shown in FIG. 3 is executed at fixed intervals.

A drive wheel speed V_(DW) is read in a step S1, a driven wheel speed V_(PW) is read is a step S2 and a slip factor S is computed in a step S3. ##EQU2##

When this slip factor S is larger than a first threshold value SL₁, it is determined that the drive wheels 28 are slipping. In this case, a torque-down request amount D is set according to the slip factor in a step S5, and a torque-down request flag TD is set to 1 in a step S6.

When the slip factor S is smaller than or equal to the first threshold value SL₁, it is determined that the drive wheels 28 are not slipping. In this case, the routine proceeds to a step S7, the torque-down request amount D is set to 0, and the torque-down request flag TD is reset to 0 in a step S8.

The control unit 45 is further provided with a cut request cylinder number computting unit 56 as shown in FIG. 2. An ordinary fuel cut mode and a multi-cylinder fuel cut mode are set in the cut request cylinder number computting unit 56. In the ordinary fuel cut mode, fuel supply is cut to some cylinders for a torque-down request time, and the number of cylinders to which fuel supply is stopped, is determined according to the torque-down request amount D up to a predetermined upper limit of cylinder number. In the multi-cylinder fuel cut mode, fuel supply is cut to a number of cylinders equal to or larger than this limiting number. The control unit 45 computes the number of cylinders to which fuel supply is cut according to either one of these modes.

The control unit 45 further comprises a fuel cut continuation time counter 57 unit which computes a time for which fuel cut continues in each mode, a fuel cut cylinder number change-over unit 58 which changes over between the ordinary fuel cut mode, and multi-cylinder fuel cut mode according to the time for which fuel cut continues to each mode, and a fuel cut allowance/disallowance determining unit 59 which commands fuel cut, but to the extent that the engine 20 would not stop running.

Due to the aforesaid construction, the control unit 45 performs torque down control at fixed intervals according to the flowcharts of FIGS 4A and 4B based on the result of the torque down determining process of FIG. 3.

In this process, it is first determined in a step S11 whether or not the torque-down request flag TD=1, i.e., whether or not fuel cut has been requested.

When TD=1, the routine proceeds to a step S12, and it is determined by a mode determining flag FM whether the present control is the ordinary fuel cut mode or the multi-cylinder fuel cut mode. FM=0 denotes the ordinary fuel cut mode, and FM=1 denotes the multi-cylinder fuel cut mode.

When FM=0, the routine proceeds to a step S13, a continuation time JFCON of the ordinary fuel cut mode is measured, and it is determined in a step S14 whether or not the continuation time JFCON is less than a maximum continuation time set value FCMAX. FCMAX may be set to for example 1 second.

When JFCON is less than FCMAX, the routine proceeds to a step S15, and fuel cut is performed in the ordinary fuel cut mode. This fuel injection cut stops fuel injection from the fuel injectors 24 corresponding to a number of cylinders determined according to the torque-down request amount D up to a predetermined limited as described hereinabove. The control process is disclosed in the aforesaid examples of the prior art.

On the other hand when JFCON is equal to or greater than FCMAX in the step S14. mode determining flag FM is set to 1 in a step S16, and control shifts to the multi-cylinder fuel cut mode in a step S17 and subsequent steps.

In the step S17, a multi-cylinder fuel cut mode continuation time JTFCTI is measured, and in a step S18, a maximum continuation time set value TFCTIM in the multi-cylinder fuel cut mode is computed by the following equation.

    TFCTIM=FCMAX·FCRATE                               (4)

FCRATE is a time ratio set according to an engine load and the engine speed N from a map shown in FIG 5. According to this map. FCRATE is set to be smaller the lower the speed of the engine 20 and the less the load on the engine 20.

Next, in a step S19, it is determined whether or not the multi-cylinder fuel cut mode continuation time JTFCTI is less than the maximum continuation time set value TFCTIM.

When JTFCTI is less than TFCTIM, the routine proceeds to a step S20, and fuel injection is cut from a fuel injector 24 in a predetermined cylinder set in the multi-cylinder fuel cut mode. In this multi-cylinder fuel cut mode, the number of cylinders in which fuel injection is stopped is set equal to or above the upper limit of cylinder number for performing fuel cut in the ordinary fuel cut mode. In the case of an eight cylinder engine, therefore, if the upper limit of cylinder number in the ordinary fuel cut mode is six, for example, fuel injection is stopped in six or more cylinders in the multi-cylinder fuel cut mode.

When JTFCTI has reached or exceeded TFCTIM in the step S19, the routine proceeds to a step S21, the fuel cut mode continuation times JFCON. JTFCTI are cleared, and the mode determining flag FM is reset to 0.

Subsequently, fuel injection is again cut from the fuel injectors 24 in predetermined cylinders in the ordinary fuel cut mode.

When TD=0 in the step S11, i.e., when there is no fuel cut request, the routine proceeds to a step S22 and subsequent steps. In the step S22, it is determined by the mode determining flag FM whether the present control is the ordinary fuel mode or the multi-cylinder fuel cut mode, as in the step S12.

When TD=0, i.e., in the case of the ordinary fuel cut mode, the ordinary fuel cut mode continuation time JFCON is measured in a step S23, and it is determined whether or not JFCON is less than the maximum continuation time set value FCMAX in a step S24.

When JFCON is less than FCMAX, the routine is executed from the step S11 in the next execution period of the process. When JFCON is equal to or greater than FCMAX, the mode determining flag FM is reset to 1 in a step S28, and the routine is executed from the step S11 in the next execution period of the process.

When FM=1 in the step S22, the routein proceeds to a step S25, and the multi-cylinder fuel cut continuation time JTFCTI is measured. In a step 26, the maximum continuation time set value TFCTIM is measured by the aforesaid equation (4), and it is determined whether or not JTFCTI has reached TFCTIM in the step S27.

When JTFCTI has not reached TFCTIM, the mode determining flag FM remains 1 in the step S28.

When JTFCTI is equal to or greater than TFCTIM, the routine proceeds to a step S29, the fuel cut mode continuation times JFCON, JTFCTI are both cleared and the mode determining flag is reset to 0.

In this way, even when there is no fuel cut request, measurement of the ordinary fuel cut mode continuation time JFCON and the mutli-cylinder fuel cut mode continuation time JTFCTI is continued. When these times exceed respectively the maximum continuation time set values FCMAX and TFCTIM, the fueld cut mode is changed, and when there is a further fuel cut request, fuel cut is performed accoding to the mode at that time.

The fuel cut which takes place under the aforesaid contron will now be described with reference to FIGS. 6A and 6B.

In the aforesaid prior art controller having a fuel cut prohibition region, even when the slip factor of the drive wheels 28 is high and the slip cannot be controlled in the ordinary fuel cut mode, the fuel injectors 24 in all cylinders restart fuel injection when the fuel cut request continuation time exceeds the maximum continuation time set value FCMAX as shown in FIG. 6B *set to 1 second in the Figure). The unburned HC amount in the exhaust led into the catalytic converter 26 therefore decreases, the heat of reaction generated in the converter is suppressed and the temperature rise of the converter 26 is suppressed, but as the output torque of the engine 20 does not decrease, the slip of the drive wheels 28 is not adequately suppressed.

In the controller according to this invention as showin in FIG. 6A, however, when the fuel cut request continuation time exceeds the maximum continuation time FCMAX, the mode changes from the ordinary fuel cut mode to the multi-cylinder fuel cut mode, and the number of cylinders in which fuel injection stops increases.

When the slip factor of the drive wheels 29 increases to such an extent that the slip of the drive wheels 29 is not suppressed in the ordinary fuel cut mode, the output torque of the engine 20 decreases still further in the multi-cylinder fuel cut mode, so the slip of the drive wheels 28 is adequately suppressed.

Further, when the number of cylinders in which fuel injection stops increases, the temperature of the exhaust gas led to the catalytic converter 26 falls due to the fresh gas expelled from these cylinders, and due to the decrease in the number of cylinders where fuel injection occurs, unburned fuel flowing into the converter 26 also decreases. The reaction heat of unburned fuel in the converter 26 is therefore suppressed, and excessive temperature rise of the converter 26 is prevented.

As shown in FIG. 5, FCRATE is set to become smaller the lower the rotation speed of the engine 20 and the smaller the load on the engine 20. The maximum continuation time set value TFCTIM in the multi-cylinder fuel cut mode obtained from equation (4) therefore also becomes shorter the lower the rotation speed of the engine 20 and the lower the load.

As a result, in the low speed, low load region when the exhaust temperature of the engine 20 is low, the proportion of fuel cut which is carried out in the ordinary fuel cut mode is high. Conversely, in the high speed, high load region, the proportion of fuel cut which is carried out in the multi-cylinder fuel cut mode is high due to the increase of the maximum continuation time set value TFCTIM. In the lower speed, low load region, therefore, the drive does not experience an excessive feeling of deceleration due to multi-cylinder fuel cut, while in the high speed, high load region, temperature rise of the catalytic converter is prevented.

In the multi-cylinder fuel cut mode, fuel cut requests disappear for a certain time, and when there is another fuel cut request, multi-cylinder fuel cut is restarted without performing ordinary fuel cut within the limit of the maximum continuation time set value TFCTIM. On the other hand, when there is a fuel cut request after the maximum continuation time set value TFCTIM has elapsed, ordinary fuel cut is performed first.

In this ay, traction control can be performed within a wide range of running conditions of the engine 20 by changing the fuel cut mode according to the conditions.

However, when the engine is in the multi-cylinder fuel cut mode and fuel injection is cut in all cylinder, the slip factor sharply decreases and the drive wheels 28 grip. Also, when fuel injection is restarted in all cylinders, the slip factor S rapidly increases and the drive wheels 29 slip. As a result, hunting of the slip factor S begins so that the vehicle alternately accelerates and decelerates.

According to this invention therefore, to prevent the occurrence of hunting, a second threshold value SL₂ and third threshold value SL₃ for comparing with the slip factor in the multi-cylinder fuel cut mode are set to have larger values than the first threshold value SL₁ for comparing with the slip factor in the ordinary fuel cut mode as shown in FIG. 7.

The threshold value SL₂ for entering the multi-cylinder fuel cut is set larger than the threshold value SL₃ for terminating the multi-cylinder fuel cut by a predetermined hysteresis.

The threshold values SL₁, SL₂, SL₃ are also set such that they progressively decrease with increasing vehicle speed in the low vehicle speed region of 0-25 km/hr, and progressively increase with increasing vehicle speed in the medium/high vehicle speed region of 25 km/hr and above. This maintains the drive torque of the vehicle at a suitable value according to the vehicle speed.

FIG. 8 shows the relation between the forward/backward force transmitted to the vehicle via the drive wheels 28, and the slip factor S. According to this graph, the forward/backward force is a maximum when the slip factor S has increased by a certain amount from when the vehicle is in a grip state.

FIG. 9 shows the relation between the lateral force transmitted to the vehicle via the drive wheels 28 and the slip factor S when the vehicle is steered.

The lateral force is a maximum when the vehicle is in the grip state and progressively decreases as the vehicle speed increases.

Based on the characteristics of FIG. 8 and FIG. 9, according to this invention, a control range A of the slip factor S is set such that sufficient forward/backward force and lateral force of the vehicle are obtained via the drive wheels 29. The threshold value SL₂ for entering the multi-cylinder fuel cut and the threshold value SL₃ for releasing the multi-cylinder fuel cut are set so that they are within this range A.

A threshold value setting unit 67 and a threshold value correcting unit 68 is therefore provided in the control unit 45 as shown in FIG. 2. Into this threshold value setting unit 67, current fuel cut mode data is input from the fuel cut cylinder change-over unit 58. The threshold value setting unit 67 selects the threshold values SL₂, SL₃ for determining whether or not the vehicle has slipped in the multi-cylinder fuel cut mode, and selects the threshold value SL₁ for determining whether or not the vehicle has slipped in the ordinary fuel cut mode. The threshold value correcting unit 68 will be described later.

The torque-down request amount computting unit 54 computes a torque-down request amount D of the engine 20 using the threshold value SL₁ selected by the threshold value setting unit 67. In the ordinary fuel cut mode, the torque-down request amount D is computed according to the threshold value SL₁ and slip factor S, while in the multi-cylinder fuel cut mode, the torque-down request amount D is computed according to the threshold values SL₂, SL₃ and slip factor S.

The flowchart of FIG. 10 shows a sub-routine to set the above threshold values performed by the control unit 45. This sub-routine is executed at a fixed interval.

First, in a step S31, the mode determining flag FM is read and in a step S32, it is determined whether the vehicle is in the ordinary fuel cut mode or the multi-cylinder fuel cut mode.

When FM=0, i.e., when it is determined that the vehicle is in the ordinary fuel cut mode, the routine proceeds to a step S33, and the first threshold value SL₁ is rad from a map based on the vehicle speed (driven wheel speed V_(PW)).

When FM=1, i.e., when it is determined that the vehicle is in the multi-cylinder fuel cut mode, the routine proceeds to a step S34, and the threshold values SL₂, SL₃ are read from a map based on the vehicle speed (driven wheel speed V_(PW)).

FIGS. 11A and 11C show examples of the control performed by this traction controller according to this invention. In the ordinary fuel cut mode, by controlling the number of cylinders in which fuel cut is performed to between 0 and 5, the drive where speed V_(DW) is made to gradually approach the driven wheel speed V_(PW) i.e., the vehicle speed. However when slip is still not adequately suppressed, the routine shifts to the multi-cylinder fuel cut mode, and fuel cut is changed over between 0 and 6 cylinders. In this case, the threshold value applied for determining whether the vehicle has slipped is set higher in the multi-cylinder fuel cut mode than in the ordinary fuel cut mode. In this way, severe hunting of the slip factor S is prevented, so the drive wheels 28 transmit sufficient drive force in both the forward/backward direction and the lateral direction to the vehicle when the vehicle is steered.

As a result, even if the output torque of the engine 20 is controlled in the multi-cylinder fuel cut mode when the vehicle is traveling on an icy road, the drive wheels 28 transmit a stable forward/backward force to the vehicle. The drive wheels 28 also transmit a stable lateral force to the vehicle when it is steered and suppress the alternative increase and decrease of the yawing force exerting on the vehicle.

However, when fuel cut is performed when the engine 30 is under high load and at high rotation speed, the catalyst temperature of the catalytic converter 26 may rise excessively which contributes to catalyst deterioration.

Therefore in this traction control device, when the engine 20 is under high load and at high rotation speed, the target slip factor correcting unit 68 in the control unit 45 increases the threshold values SL₁, SL₂, SL₃. By increasing the threshold values SL₁ , SL₂, SL₃, the fuel cut region is narrowed, and overheat of the catalyst is prevented.

This process performed by the control unit 45 will be described referring to the flowchart of FIG. 12.

First, in a step S41, it is determined whether or not the engine rotation speed Ne is higher than 3000 rpm.

When the engine rotation speed Ne is higher than 3000 rpm, it is determined in a step S42 whether or not the throttle opening TVO is greater than 3/8.

An engine rotation speed Ne exceeding 3000 rpm is considered to be a high rotation speed, and a throttle opening TVo greater than 3/8 is considered to be a high load.

When NE≦3000 rpm or TVO ≦3/8, a timer value CONT which shows a continuation time of the high rotation speed, high load state is cleared in a step S46, and the routine is terminated.

When TVO>3/8 in the step S42, the timer value CONT is incremented in a step S43.

In a step S44, a correction value .increment.S based on the timer value CONT is found by looking up a map shown in FIG. 13. The correction factor .increment.S is increased in steps, i.e., 5% when the timer value is less than 5 seconds, 10% when the timer value is less than 10 seconds, and 15% when the time value is greater. This map is stored beforehand by the control unit 45.

In a step S45, the threshold values SL₁, SL₂, SL₃ are increased and corrected based on the correction factor .increment.S.

This correction is not performed on one occasion. Instead, the correction is performed gradually via a filter. In this way, the threshold values SL₁, SL₂, SL₃ are increased according to the continuation time of the high rotation speed, high load state, the fuel cut region becomes narrower, and overheating of the catalytic converter 26 in the high rotation speed, high load state due to continuation of fuel cut can be suppressed. Also, according to this device, the fuel cut region becomes narrower together with the continuation time of the high rotation speed, high load state, and as a result, traction control is gradually terminated. Therefore, the slip factor does not largely vary when traction control terminates, and the driver does not experience an uncomfortable feeling.

According to the aforesaid embodiment, all of the threshold values SL₁, SL₂, SL₃ are increased subject to the correction factor .increment.S, but it is possible to increase only the threshold value SL₁ applied to the determination of slip. Difference correction factors .increment.S may also be respectively applied to the threshold values SL₁, SL₂, SL₃.

Also, according to the above embodiment, the condition for increasing the threshold value was that the engine was in the high load, high rotation speed region, however a desirable effect may still be obtained by increasing the threshold value according to either the load or the rotation speed.

The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of all means plus function elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure, material, or acts for performing the functions in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. The embodiments of this invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 

What is claimed is:
 1. A traction control device for cutting fuel supply to a cylinder of a multi-cylinder engine of a vehicle so as to reduce a slip of a drive wheel of said vehicle, comprising:a sensor for detecting a slip factor of said drive wheel, a sensor for detecting an engine load, and a microprocessor programmed to:determined whether or not said slip factor exceeds a preset threshold value, cut fuel supply to said cylinder when said slip factor exceeds the threshold value, determine whether or not said engine load is greater than a predetermined load, and increase said threshold value when said engine load is greater than said predetermined load.
 2. A traction control device as defined in claim 1, wherein said microprocessor is further programmed to measure a continuation time for which said slip factor exceeds said threshold value, and increase said threshold value to a larger value the longer said continuation time.
 3. A traction control device for cutting fuel supply to a cylinder of a multi-cylinder engine of a vehicle so as to reduce a slip of drive wheel of said vehicle, comprising:a sensor for detecting a slip factor of said drive wheel, a sensor for detecting an engine rotation speed, and a microprocessor programmed to:determine whether or not said slip factor exceeds a preset threshold value, cut fuel supply to said cylinder when said slip factor exceeds the preset threshold value, determine whether or not said engine rotation speed is greater than a predetermined speed, and increase said threshold value when said engine rotation speed is greater than said predetermined speed.
 4. A traction control device as defined in claim 3, wherein said microprocessor is further programmed to measure a continuation time for which said slip factor exceeds said threshold value, and increase said threshold value to a larger value the longer said continuation time.
 5. A traction control device as defined in claim 2, further comprising a sensor for detecting an engine load, and said microprocessor is further programmed to increase said threshold value to a larger value only when said rotation speed is greater than said predetermined speed, and said load is greater than said predetermined load.
 6. A traction control device for cutting fuel supply to a cylinder of a multi-cylinder engine of a vehicle so as to reduce a slip of a drive wheel of said vehicle, comprising:means for detecting a slip factor of said drive wheel, means for detecting an engine load,means for determining whether or not said slip factor exceeds a preset threshold value, means for cutting fuel supply to said cylinder when said slip factor exceeds the threshold value, means for determining whether or not said engine load is greater than a predetermined load, and means for increasing said threshold value when said engine load is greater than said predetermined load.
 7. A traction control device for cutting fuel supply to a cylinder of a multi-cylinder engine of a vehicle so as to reduce a slip of drive wheel of said vehicle, comprising:means for detecting a slip factor of said drive wheel, means for detecting an engine rotation speed, and means for determining whether or not said slip factor exceeds a preset threshold value, means for cutting fuel supply to said cylinder when said slip factor exceeds a threshold value, means for determining whether or not said engine rotation speed is greater than a predetermined speed, and means for increasing said threshold value when said engine rotation speed is greater than said predetermined speed. 